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Judges Order Trump to Fund SNAP Amid Shutdown

11/1/2025

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Summary

Judges Order SNAP Funding

Two federal judges ordered U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to continue funding SNAP during the government shutdown, a ruling that may be appealed.
They directed use of over $5 billion in emergency contingency funds to preserve benefits for more than 40 million low-income Americans.
The USDA had planned to freeze SNAP payments, and the judges deemed this unlawful.
They required funding updates by Monday.

History

Historical Context

The Agricultural Act of 2014, signed into law on February 7, 2014, authorized $956 billion in spending, with approximately 62% allocated to nutrition programs like SNAP, which serves over 47 million Americans. The recent federal court ruling to maintain SNAP funding during a government shutdown underscores the ongoing political and legal struggles surrounding food assistance, emphasizing the judiciary's role in protecting vulnerable populations.

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Judges Order SNAP Funding

Two federal judges ordered U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to continue funding SNAP during the government shutdown, a ruling that may be appealed.
They directed use of over $5 billion in emergency contingency funds to preserve benefits for more than 40 million low-income Americans.
The USDA had planned to freeze SNAP payments, and the judges deemed this unlawful.
They required funding updates by Monday.

1 / 2